


Democracy

by Starry



Category: The Powers of Matthew Star
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-21
Updated: 2011-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-15 20:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/164700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starry/pseuds/Starry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up in the United States affects Matthew's perception of the monarchy on Quadris.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Democracy

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet was inspired by the 2011 revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. However, it's set circa 1983, and reflects the geopolitical realities of that time.

"You **cannot** be serious!" Shep exploded. "We may be living in exile at the moment, Matthew, but you **are** the king of Quadris. You can't turn your back on that."

Matthew glared back at him, refusing to back down. "If you wanted me to believe in monarchy, you should have settled us in Nepal, or Jordan, or any other country with a government like ours. But you didn't. You raised me here, in the United States. What the hell were you expecting when you enrolled me in Crestridge High, where history is a required course? Did you think I'd somehow not pick up on the idea that the American Revolution was a good thing? Monarchy sucks!"

"The **English** monarchy of the eighteenth century may have been of poor quality," Shep retorted, "but our monarchy is different. Your father was revered by our people."

"That doesn't make monarchy a good system of government," Matthew replied. "And it isn't like all monarchs on Quadris have been good. Do I need to remind you what a head case my great-grandfather was?"

Shep winced internally. There was no denying that Matthew's great-grandfather had been a terrible ruler, so Shep tried a different tack. "Your people need someone with your powers serving them."

"I'm **willing** to serve them," Matthew yelled. "Just not as their king! They deserve a democratically elected president."

"While you do what?" Shep asked sarcastically. "Become a farmer?"

Matthew swallowed and said quietly, "I was thinking I could join the Royal Guard. You're in the Guard yourself, so you know it's worthwhile. Of course, the Guard would have to be renamed -- it'd probably be called the Presidential Guard -- but it'd do the same work."

Shep sighed and made a visible effort to calm down. "Matthew," he said, "the Guard is for commoners. Why would you want to join?"

"Because of President Kennedy," Matthew answered. "Every time I hear anything about his assassination, all I can think about is that he might still be alive if the Secret Service had had agents with powers like mine."

Shep shook his head. "Look, Matthew," he said, "I can see why democracy appeals to you, but monarchy is what works best for Quadris. And I don't want to be the one to break the news to your mother that you don't believe in the system that made her queen."

"My mother chose to live in America," Matthew said indignantly. "If she's such a believer in monarchy, why's she living here?"

"Because she wouldn't be recognized as queen in any monarchy she lived in on Earth," Shep replied. "If she isn't going to be recognized as queen, she's better off living in a democracy."

"So what you're saying," Matthew said, pouncing on Shep's words, "is that for everyone outside the royal family, life in a monarchy isn't as good as life in a democracy. You just proved my point!"

* * * * *

They argued until late into the night, and Matthew was tired when he went to meet Pam the next day.

"How did it go?" she asked.

Matthew shrugged. "He's still a monarchist, and he thinks that by the time we go back and liberate Quadris, I'll have 'come to my senses' and accepted that I'm meant to be king. But at least now he knows I don't believe in the whole monarchy thing."

"Was he mad?" Pam asked.

Matthew smiled faintly. "Not as mad as he would have been if he'd found out that you know the truth about us. But pretty mad, yeah."

Then he smiled more broadly, and added, "There was one good thing. He said that **if** Quadris ever becomes a democracy, he's going to recommend me for admission into the Guard!"


End file.
